1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hinge device for pivotally coupling a display and a base of an electronic device, and more particularly to a hinge device which can adjust the vertical distance between the display and the base when the display is swiveled in directions parallel to the base.
2. Related Art
With the development of the 3C (Computer, Consumer electronic products, Communication) industry, users are paying more attention to flexibility and convenience of electronic devices such as notebook computers, mobile phones and electronic dictionaries. At present, each such electronic device usually utilizes a hinge device to pivotally couple a display and a base thereof.
A tilt/swivel hinge device has come to be used in this kind of electronic device. This type of hinge device can move the display relative to the base in up-and-down tilt directions about a horizontal axis, and in right-and-left swivel directions about a vertical axis. The U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002/0109962A1 discloses a flat panel display apparatus and a tilt/swivel mechanism therein which comprises a flat panel display, a computer, a swivel base, a yoke, a mounting base and two elastic members. The yoke is connected to an edge of the flat panel display. The swivel base is pivotally secured to the edge of the flat panel display with the yoke. The swivel base has a first cylinder; an outer surface of the first cylinder defines two parallel and opposite grooves. The mounting base is located on the computer, and has a second cylinder. A cable hole is defined in a center of the second cylinder to hold the mounting base, and two opposite mounting slots are located in the cable hole. Each elastic member has a projection that is held in a respective mounting slot. Each groove can hold the projection, and stop the swiveling action so that the swivel base swivels to a particular discrete orientation in the mounting base.
With this kind of hinge device, the display swivels freely in right-and-left direction relative to the base. However, because of tolerances as between the yoke and the swivel base, the vertical pivoting axis is not always normal to the base during swiveling. Thus, a bottom of the display may easily scratch or damage a keyboard and an upper surface of the base. If the angle of offset as between the actual axis and the predetermined axis is exceedingly large, the display may not be able to swivel freely in right-and-left directions relative to the base.
An improved hinge device which overcomes these problems is desired.